Or at least trying to be subtle, is what firms strive for when they use guerrilla marketing. With the amount of advertising consumers face every day, the competition for their attention is extremely high amongst companies. This struggle for captivating consumers’ attention drives firms and marketers to think outside the box and creatively and cleverly market to their targeted segments.
Like Steven had outlined, when guerrilla marketing is done right, the campaign can be so enticing and so attractive that the firm forever (or for quite a long period of time) leaves a positive impression on consumers. But if done wrong, the results can be disastrous, especially for well-established corporations.
The distinct risk that big, corporate giants face is that these giants must align their campaign to their already recognized and branded image. If they get a little too creative and out of line, customers may not appreciate their not-so-subtle attempt at being snazzy.
This DKNY campaign to promote cycling features orange bikes, deemed as “ghost bikes”, which serves as a symbol to remember cyclists killed on the road. Although the message behind this campaign is of good intention, there is no clear relation to DKNY’s brand image or relevance to the company. Some despise DKNY’s manipulation of memorials for the dead and turning it into a marketing gimmick.
Mmm…oreos. Dunked in milk. The traditional dunk of an Oreo in a glass of milk was dramatized in a very simple way, but as you can see in the video, the level of excitement and attraction generated from this tactic was very high. (Note man rubbing his belly at 0:20). This is a clear example of a marketer being creative, clever and subtle at the same time. This low-cost advertisement is effective as consumers appreciate the entertainment of the ad.
Watching this video made me grab a cup of milk and my bag of Oreos. No joke.
Great post, I totally agree with your questioning of the relevance the campaign has to DKNY, and I loved your discussion of guerrilla marketing